St. Paul › Union Park

1681 Dayton Ave

Saint Paul, MN · Union Park (Merriam Park, Snelling-Hamline, Lexington-Hamline) · Listing office ↗ · Find the listing ↗

Far off

Asking price: $749,900
Monthly cash flow: −$2,251
Estimated rent: $4,500/mo
Break-even price: $326,966

Adjust these numbers in the calculator See the full breakdown

The numbers

Default: 20% down (no PMI), offer at asking, self-managed, 7.00% for 30 years, buyer pays closing costs (3%).

Estimated rent per unit Estimate

2 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,350 $1,150–$1,550
1 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,050 $900–$1,200
1 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,050 $900–$1,200
1 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,050 $900–$1,200

Rough screening estimate from bedroom count only ($750 + $300 per bedroom, ±15%). Not comparable-rental data; a RentCast estimate replaces it for the top candidates. Confidence: low.

Rent rules: Capped at 3%/yr for sitting tenants.

Price: $749,900
Monthly cash flow: −$2,251
Cash to close: $172,477
Cap rate: 2.8%
Cash-on-cash: −15.7%
DSCR: 0.44×
GRM: 13.9
Price per unit: $187,475
Price that breaks even: $326,966
Rent that breaks even: $7,386/mo
Cash flow turns positive: not within 30 years
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.71M vs $3.29M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$4,500
Vacancy (6%)	−$270
Collected	$4,230
Property tax Public record	−$1,009
Insurance Estimate	−$361
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$340
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$360
Capital reserve (8% of rent)	−$360
Net operating income	$1,740
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$3,991
Cash flow	−$2,251
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$508

Cash flow each year

Rents +3%/yr (St. Paul's cap for sitting tenants), costs +3.5%/yr. Red bars are months you'd cover out of pocket.

30 years: this property vs. the same money in stocks

This propertyStocks at 7%

Year 30 (loan paid off): property $1.71M, stocks $3.29M. Stocks win.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,820,204
Minus 6% selling cost	−$109,212
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $674,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,710,992
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($97,487) invested at 7%	$742,096
Monthly shortfalls ($729,151 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,676,301
What you'd walk away with	$3,418,397
Building minus stocks	−$1,707,405

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,820,204
Minus 6% selling cost	−$109,212
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $674,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,710,992
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($97,487) invested at 7%	$742,096
Monthly shortfalls ($946,495 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$3,268,479
What you'd walk away with	$4,010,575
Building minus stocks	−$2,299,583

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,795,932
Minus 6% selling cost	−$107,756
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $665,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,688,176
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($96,187) invested at 7%	$732,200
Monthly shortfalls ($707,325 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,606,688
What you'd walk away with	$3,338,888
Building minus stocks	−$1,650,712

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,795,932
Minus 6% selling cost	−$107,756
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $665,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,688,176
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($96,187) invested at 7%	$732,200
Monthly shortfalls ($924,669 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$3,198,866
What you'd walk away with	$3,931,066
Building minus stocks	−$2,242,890

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,820,204
Minus 6% selling cost	−$109,212
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $599,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,710,992
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($172,477) invested at 7%	$1,312,939
Monthly shortfalls ($529,296 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,980,256
What you'd walk away with	$3,293,195
Building minus stocks	−$1,582,203

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,820,204
Minus 6% selling cost	−$109,212
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $599,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,710,992
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($172,477) invested at 7%	$1,312,939
Monthly shortfalls ($746,640 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,572,434
What you'd walk away with	$3,885,373
Building minus stocks	−$2,174,381

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,795,932
Minus 6% selling cost	−$107,756
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $591,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,688,176
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($170,177) invested at 7%	$1,295,431
Monthly shortfalls ($510,135 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,919,925
What you'd walk away with	$3,215,355
Building minus stocks	−$1,527,179

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,795,932
Minus 6% selling cost	−$107,756
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $591,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,688,176
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($170,177) invested at 7%	$1,295,431
Monthly shortfalls ($727,479 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,512,103
What you'd walk away with	$3,807,533
Building minus stocks	−$2,119,357

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,820,204
Minus 6% selling cost	−$109,212
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $562,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,710,992
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($209,972) invested at 7%	$1,598,360
Monthly shortfalls ($439,492 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,697,491
What you'd walk away with	$3,295,852
Building minus stocks	−$1,584,860

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,820,204
Minus 6% selling cost	−$109,212
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $562,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,710,992
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($209,972) invested at 7%	$1,598,360
Monthly shortfalls ($656,836 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,289,669
What you'd walk away with	$3,888,030
Building minus stocks	−$2,177,038

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,795,932
Minus 6% selling cost	−$107,756
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $554,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,688,176
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($207,172) invested at 7%	$1,577,046
Monthly shortfalls ($421,529 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,640,931
What you'd walk away with	$3,217,977
Building minus stocks	−$1,529,801

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,795,932
Minus 6% selling cost	−$107,756
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $554,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$1,688,176
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($207,172) invested at 7%	$1,577,046
Monthly shortfalls ($638,873 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,233,109
What you'd walk away with	$3,810,155
Building minus stocks	−$2,121,979

Future dollars. At 3% inflation, divide year-30 figures by about 2.4 for today's buying power. Rental profits are assumed invested, not spent.

Red flags and opportunities

Watch for

mediumAsking is $422,934 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($326,966) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $749,900 vs. break-even $326,966
low$865 in special assessments on the payable 2026 tax bill (often street, sewer or code-enforcement charges). Ask what they're for, whether they continue, and whether the seller pays them off at closing. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 042823110146: special assessments (payable 2026) = $865.00

Opportunities

None found.

Questions for the agent

Can we see the current leases and a rent roll, with move-in dates?
What did water/sewer/trash, heat and electric cost the owner over the last 12 months?
How old are the roof, boiler or furnaces, water heaters and electrical panels?
Is the building licensed as a rental for this many units, and when was the last city inspection?
Any special assessments pending, and will the seller pay them off at closing?

Standard questions worth asking about any building.

What the records say

Where each number comes from

Property tax / yr Public recordRamsey County record, payable 2026 (non-homestead)	$12,107
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$4,330
Water, sewer, trash / mo Estimateestimate. $85/unit/mo, owner-paid	$340
Heat / mo Assumptionassumption. tenants pay heat; confirm with the agent	$0
Lawn care / mo Assumptionassumption. $120/mo for 6 months, spread over 12; no snow removal	$60
Repairs / capital reserve Rulerule. base rate	8% / 8%

County record Public record

Recorded as	apartments 4-6 rental units
Living units	4
Year built	1958
Market value (2026)	$577,200
Property tax, payable 2026	$12,107
Special assessments	$865
Homestead	no
Last sale	2022-01-11 · $605,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 3+ Units: 4 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2030-05-30.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 452 m away.

Crime in Union Park

1,613 incidents in the last 12 months (84 per 1,000 residents), −27% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events. Union Park's incident count includes the Midway retail corridor, which inflates the per-resident rate.

Status history

2026-07-10New at $749,900